In the days after the Browns fired G.M. Tom Heckert, word emerged that the Browns requested permission to interview Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton. But an interview never happened.

There are two different versions in league circles as to what happened. One source says that Paton passed. Another source says that the Vikings declined permission. The latter suggests that the Browns’ General Manager position won’t entail, at least on paper, final say over the roster. If it did, the Vikings couldn’t have blocked either the interview or the hire.

There’s a chance, we suppose, that both the Vikings declined and Paton wasn’t interested.

Still, there’s now a valid question in Cleveland, especially since new coach Rob Chudzinski doesn’t have personnel experience: Who will have final say when it comes to picking players?

In the days after the Browns fired G.M. Tom Heckert, word emerged that the Browns requested permission to interview Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton. But an interview never happened.

There are two different versions in league circles as to what happened. One source says that Paton passed. Another source says that the Vikings declined permission. The latter suggests that the Browns’ General Manager position won’t entail, at least on paper, final say over the roster. If it did, the Vikings couldn’t have blocked either the interview or the hire.

There’s a chance, we suppose, that both the Vikings declined and Paton wasn’t interested.

Still, there’s now a valid question in Cleveland, especially since new coach Rob Chudzinski doesn’t have personnel experience: Who will have final say when it comes to picking players?

All reports out of Cleveland are that our new GM will not have absolute final say on the roster. For some candidates, that's a deal breaker. It was a deal breaker for our former GM, Tom Heckert.

In fact, there's a chance that we may not even have a GM in name, possibly just a Director of Player Personnel, with Joe Banner overseeing as CEO.

If Paton wanted full control and wanted to make a name for himself by controlling a roster, I don't blame him for passing on the Browns' job._________________Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.It will happen some day. Not sure when.

I agree with Reggie. If I was George, if they didn't give me final say over the 53-man roster, I wouldn't take the interview either, rather I'd just stay in the good gig that I got.

Plus, never having worked with the HC, it wouldn't necessarily be a good opportunity for him. A better opportunity would be one where he could hire a head coach himself (one that he's likely acquainted with...like Alan Williams or Darrell Bevell in the future)._________________

Paton had the benefit/misfortune of being on hand when the Vikings both had systems allowing the GM to make all personnel decisions, and the earlier Triangulation Strangulation and saw what that produced.

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf has been moved from a treatment center to the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge, state officials confirmed Thursday. Leaf, who was sentenced to a five-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections for drug and burglary charges in June, had been in a lockdown drug rehabilitation facility in Lewistown since July 12.

The first nine months of that sentence were to be spent in Lewistown and then he was to transfer to six months in prerelease center before likely being given supervised community placement for the rest of the five years, according to Tribune archives.

However, the Tribune learned Thursday that “the Montana Department of Corrections terminated Leaf from the treatment program and placed him in prison after he was found guilty of behavior that violated conditions of his drug treatment placement,” Dawn Handa, regional probation and parole administrator in Great Falls, said in a statement. “The violations included threatening a program staff member.”

The small Minnesota town of Zumbrota has turned on the Vikings in a big way.

fair amount of Zumbrota's 3,100 residents and an assortment of other Minnesotans from around the metro area will be rooting for the Seahawks and Casey (Gus) Bradley, Seattle's 43-year-old first-year defensive coordinator, Zumbrota native and, yes, lifelong Vikings fan, except for today, of course.

The small Minnesota town of Zumbrota has turned on the Vikings in a big way.

fair amount of Zumbrota's 3,100 residents and an assortment of other Minnesotans from around the metro area will be rooting for the Seahawks and Casey (Gus) Bradley, Seattle's 43-year-old first-year defensive coordinator, Zumbrota native and, yes, lifelong Vikings fan, except for today, of course.

The Vikings signed T.J. Conley and Greg McCoy to futures contracts today.

Conley was the Jets' punter in 2011, averaging 42.7 yards. He was cut by the Jets in September, just five days before the season started, and didn't play in the NFL in 2012. He announced his signing on Twitter (@tjconley4).

McCoy, a 5-foot-10 cornerback, was drafted in the seventh round by the Bears in 2012 out of TCU. He spent most of the season on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad after the Bears cut him in August.

One of the biggest draft busts in NFL history is trying to re-kindle his football career. Yahoo! Sports has learned that JaMarcus Russell is planning a comeback attempt that he hopes will see him play in the league again.

Currently at 308 pounds, Russell is down from the 320 pounds he weighed this past fall and has been focusing on cardio conditioning the past six weeks to lose the weight.

“The last few years, the things going through my life, football is my job and it is how it feeds my family.